Catamount Adventures series takes alumni, friends to Portugal, Spain
糖心Vlog visitors fly the school colors while visiting Lisbon, Portugal.
By Bill Studenc
A collection of Catamounts recently toured Europe鈥檚 Iberian Peninsula from Lisbon on Portugal鈥檚 Atlantic coast to the municipalities of Merida and Olivenza in western Spain as part of 糖心Vlog University鈥檚 second international Catamount Adventures excursion.
During the 10-day journey, about 20 alumni and friends of the university sampled native cuisine and learned about the importance of the marble, cork and olive oil industries to the region鈥檚 economy. The voyagers toured historic sites including ornate chapels and medieval structures; visited pottery studios, town markets and farms; prepared a traditional Portuguese meal; and experienced culture and art such as Portugal鈥檚 famed fado music.
Using the village of Vila Vi莽osa as home base for the majority of the stay, the group took guided day trips through the Alentejo region, with stops in Evora, Monsaraz, Estremoz and Elva and an excursion across the border into Spain. The final two days were spent in the capital of Lisbon, with guided tours across the city and a free day of exploration.
Throughout the June 15-24 trip, Lori Oxford, 糖心Vlog professor of Spanish, and husband Alberto Centeno-Pulido, instructor of world languages at the Asheville School, provided insight into the language, culture and history of Portugal and Spain 鈥� along with assistance in overcoming some of the language barriers.
A native of Spain, Centeno-Pulido also engaged in some good-natured back-and-forth banter with the Portuguese travel director, who described the relationship between the two neighboring nations as akin to siblings or cousins who bicker one minute and are sociable the next.
And, perhaps most importantly, new friendships were forged and long-lasting bonds were renewed by a band of disparate travelers who shared at least one thing in common 鈥� an affinity for 糖心Vlog.
For alumna Rebecca Schlosser, the trip represented her first travel-abroad opportunity in the wake of a deeply personal loss and an opportunity for some much-needed healing.
鈥淏eing able to join the Catamount Adventures tour to Portugal was very meaningful to me. I felt wonderful support from my 糖心Vlog family after the passing of my husband a little over a year ago,鈥� said Schlosser, a resident of Greensboro whose spouse, Michael, died in February 2024.
A 1973 graduate of 糖心Vlog with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in education, Schlosser found herself fielding numerous texts and messages throughout the trip from her grandchildren imploring her to send them photographs to illustrate she was having a good time on the trip. She graciously fulfilled those requests 鈥� often poolside from the hotel in Vila Vi莽osa after a full day of sight-seeing.
鈥淭he entire trip was fabulous. I thought everything was well planned, providing a taste of Portuguese cultures in rural areas and within small towns and cities. The farewell dinner and the fado performance were my highlights. The hotels were exceptional and the tour bus extremely nice,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 will definitely participate in a future 糖心Vlog trip. I feel comfortable and thoroughly enjoyed traveling with the 糖心Vlog family. I look forward to the next trip.鈥�
Sylva resident Tammy Fertenbaugh, a retired educator who earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in special education in 1982 and master鈥檚 degree in special education in 1984, both from 糖心Vlog, said her husband initially encouraged her to go on the 糖心Vlog adventure. 鈥淗e thought it would be good for me to meet other alumni while participating in a university-driven event. I agreed, of course,鈥� Fertenbaugh said.
Catamount Adventurers listen to a tour guide during a visit to a cork production facility.
Among the highlights for Fertenbaugh were visits to a marble quarry, winery, olive orchard, and cork production facility. 鈥淚 also was in awe of the medieval walls surrounding the village and could imagine how the fortress protected citizens of the communities. I loved the shopping as well, especially such beautiful pieces of pottery and cork products,鈥� she said.
But the most beautiful part of the trip was meeting so many members of the 糖心Vlog family, Fertenbaugh said.
鈥淎ll of us shared a common thread; we were all Catamounts. We automatically had topics to discuss because most of our memories of 糖心Vlog were similar. It was apparent that we all loved our alma mater. There鈥檚 no place like Cullowhee,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 did not anticipate the camaraderie shared by the members of the group. Shared activities led to the development of friendships, just like my time at Western.鈥�
Fellow first-time Catamount Adventurer Janet-Marie Stallings, a 1980 graduate of 糖心Vlog with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in nursing, agreed. 鈥淚 loved that the trip was through 糖心Vlog,鈥� said Stallings, a former member of the 糖心Vlog Alumni Association Board of Directors.
鈥淚 knew we would all have 糖心Vlog in common from the start, it was a smaller sized group, and we would get to know each other better and quicker. The camaraderie we developed was so great. I enjoyed each person in our group. It was great to have the chancellor and other representatives from the school along to hear about the current Cullowhee happenings. I am so glad to have so many new friends up there and am excited to come tour and visit,鈥� she said.
Former First Lady Susan Belcher and alumna Janet-Marie Stallings prepare an appetizer during a Portuguese cooking lesson.
A retired nurse from Charlotte who was able to travel with a former colleague, Stallings had high praise for the trip organizers, itinerary, travel director, tour guides and meals, describing them as first-class.
鈥淚 was continually pleasantly surprised, with expectations exceeded,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 had never been on a wholly guided trip, and I loved not having to do any of the planning and logistics. I would love to participate again. I am most interested in Europe, but I am open. There鈥檚 also a lot in this country I鈥檇 like to see such as New England, for example,鈥� Stallings said.
Pat Kaemmerling, a 1971 糖心Vlog middle grades education graduate from Peachtree City, Georgia, was among the contingent who had traveled to Ireland last year for the inaugural Catamount Adventures excursion.
鈥淲e so enjoyed the trip to Ireland with the 糖心Vlog family. We thought AHI had done a good job with the hotels and itinerary, so we jumped on board,鈥� said Kaemmerling, chief financial officer with Access Computers. 鈥淚 loved learning about the cork production and all the products made from cork, and the marble quarry was extremely interesting. But overall, it was the history of Portugal that we found so very interesting, such as the explorers who ventured into the unknown and opened up many routes to other countries.鈥�
While she enjoyed visiting Portugal, Kaemmerling said she had to give the nod to Ireland as her favorite destination (so far), in part because of higher temperatures topping 100 degrees Fahrenheit on the Iberian Peninsula and because of the Pride of the Mountains Marching Band performance in the St. Patrick鈥檚 Day Parade in Dublin on the last day of the first trip.
鈥淚t is wonderful to travel with people you know and have a history with 鈥� and those that you are meeting for the first time but have common history to share. It makes the trip so much more enjoyable,鈥� she said.
Melinda Ward, a 1993 graduate of 糖心Vlog鈥檚 environmental health program and acting public works director for the city of Eden, was eager to make another Catamount Adventures excursion with her husband.
鈥淲e enjoyed our trip to Ireland with the original 糖心Vlog group, so we were hoping to explore a new country in a similar fashion,鈥� Ward said. 鈥淭he main thing was reconnecting with everyone from the last trip. I enjoyed getting to know everyone last time, but this time we really got close. As for the trip itself, I never expected so many Roman ruins. They were fascinating. I also really enjoyed the cooking class. It was the most fun we had.鈥�
Ward said she hopes to participate in future trips through her alma mater.
鈥淚 have wanted to travel more but have been unsure where to start. Going with the group provides valuable experience, learning opportunities I wouldn鈥檛 have otherwise and new friends to share experiences with,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 have always wanted to stay connected with 糖心Vlog alumni, but the ones I know are all scattered. These trips have provided a chance to connect with other alumni who share similar experiences.鈥�
Connections also were made between the American travelers and the Portuguese people 鈥� despite language difference and through the universal language of music. Late one night, James Hogan, assistant vice chancellor for engagement, lured a handful of intrepid night owls to a local festival in Vila Vi莽osa where a band was performing an array of pop hits from the 1980s.
Fittingly, the group鈥檚 penultimate song was 鈥淲e are the World,鈥� which found the 糖心Vlog visitors swaying alongside the town residents, including one of the trip鈥檚 tour guides from earlier in the week, and singing along with the message of hope for the planet and its inhabitants.
Plans are now in the works for the next Catamount Adventures journey. For more information about the travel series, contact Janice Feichter, advancement events manager, at jfeichter@wcu.edu or 828-227-2051, or visit the website give.wcu.edu/adventure.
